Mobile Businesses Changing The Way The World Works
Blair Garrett
There’s no doubt that the way businesses have had to operate has changed forever.
More people than ever before are finding new ways to make their careers compatible with the world around us. The ability for so many different industries to work remotely has revolutionized the way businesses operate, and it may only be just the beginning.
Conversely, mobile businesses have found a niche in a wide variety of markets, bringing their products and services directly to the customers instead of having a traditional brick-and-mortar store.
Over the past few years, outdoor events like Colorfest, music festivals, and craft shows have seen growing numbers of food trucks catering to hungry event-goers with on-site food prepared almost hibachi-style right in front of your eyes.
The food market is a popular roving business, but it’s far from the only one meeting customers out in the wild.
Meet.Plant.Love is a brand new business, blazing the trails of mobile plant sales, operating at markets and events held locally in Maryland. “We kind of operate like a food truck, but we’re selling house plants,” said Lee Hufnagel, owner of Meet.Plant.Love.
Lee and Jackie Hufnagel kicked off their business in May, and in just a few short months, they’ve been able to spread plant love all over Frederick County.
“We discussed opening up a storefront, but that’s obviously a very big step,” Lee said. “We wanted to build around the whole experience of houseplants and taking care of them with the community, which is kind of how we got our name. That’s the ‘Meet’ portion of it, and that’s where the mobile part comes in.”
The two got their start in a unique way, too. At the start of a turbulent 2020, there was a lot of uncertainty about what the next few months might look like. With clear information at a minimum and panic at an all-time high, many people needed to latch on to things that brought them comfort.
For Jackie, that thing was houseplants. “Every time I would try to conquer feelings of anxiety, I would buy a houseplant,” Jackie said.
Little did they know, that her anxiety-relief tool would turn into their own mobile business, where they get to go out and meet tons of people interested in plants and share a bit of their expertise.
“We’re selling houseplants, cactus, succulents, hanging baskets, and things like that,” Jackie said. “During a few shows this summer, we offered outdoor plants; we’ve had mums and herbs. We like to have a little bit of something for everybody.”
Meet.Plant.Love often posts where they’ll be on their Instagram and Facebook accounts, and you may just catch them at a brewery, winery, or an event near you.
There’s nothing more relaxing than catching up with a few friends at your favorite pub over an ice-cold drink. But your favorite cocktail may be heading your way in the near future.
Mobile bars are a huge hit in beach towns like Ocean City, Maryland, and Wildwood, New Jersey.
A dozen partygoers and a liquor-loaded liaison hop onto a rectangular bar mounted on wheels, powered by the pedaling guests partaking in the festivities. It’s a great way to cruise a boardwalk in a fun environment while sharing a drink with your friends, but it’s far from the only mobile bar out there.
Similar to how food trucks are showing up and delivering meals on wheels, mobile cocktail bars are handcrafting your favorite Moscow mules, mojitos, and Long Island iced teas.
Presley’s Mobile Cocktail Bar in Philadelphia has renovated an old trailer and modernized the bartender-to-customer experience with the changing times. It’s a smooth transition to bring and drop off your bar to a location, craft a menu to fit the needs of the event, and then pack it up for your next adventure. Mobility allows companies like Presley’s to open up the base of clients to fit a huge market.
Mobile bars are revolutionizing the way catering companies deal with weddings and work outings, and that is a trend that is not going away any time soon. So, be on the lookout for more to pop up in the near future.
Taking your dog to the groomer can be a tremendous chore to fit around your work schedule. If your pooch doesn’t always see eye-to-eye with other dogs, you may need to wait hours for your pet to be cleaned up and ready to go.
Mobile groomers and veterinary services are a rapidly growing business, offering options out there to contour to even the busiest of schedules.
Pets are often uncomfortable in the car or don’t handle being away from home or their owners, so mobile pet care can alleviate some of the stress for your beloved furry friends.
If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that people have to be adaptable and open to change. Many of the storefront businesses have taken the lockdown situation and unlocked a creative way to make their companies thrive, and this might be just the beginning.
Meet.Plant.Love’s mobile market has tons of houseplants sure to add color and beauty to any room in the house.
Photo by Blair Garrett
